Suddenly, she spoke and snapped me out of my daze. “Do you like Halloween?”
“I don’t dislike it. I’m indifferent, I guess. My parents never played up holidays so I don’t have the same attraction to them as other people.”
Her head snapped up. “Wait, are you saying you never went trick-or-treating as a kid?”
“Nope. I got into shit when I was in college on Halloween, but honestly, the day didn’t matter. I got into shit most days when I was in college.”
She raised up to sit beside me in the bed, the sheet falling away from her body. Her breasts were still red from my hands and mouth, and a nudge of satisfaction stirred between my legs despite the multiple times I’d already come for her.
“I’m devastated you didn’t get to experience the best day of the year like a normal kid. I love everything about Halloween. From handing out candy at my parents’ house to staying up late watching old slasher films.” The tempo of her wordsincreased with excitement. “Since I opened my office, I’ve always done a big, themed display the week before. The first year I did Frankenstein and built the monster himself…”
She was so fascinating with her animated rambling that I fell into a trance, her stories about her decorations drenching me like a rainstorm. Her lips moved quickly, and she gestured with her hands, and I lost the ability to speak. I was captivated by her, this beautiful creature that was enthralled by something so simple as Halloween decorations.
“Are you listening to me?” Raven snapped.
I reached for her, tugging her back down to my chest. “Of course. I would listen to you ramble all day, baby. Inject that shit into my veins,” I said as I kissed her forehead.
She chuckled. “Sorry, I get excited about Halloween.”
My laugh boomed off the walls. “You? My goth queen, excited over Halloween? Surely not.”
“Hey!” she said as she nudged her knee into my thigh. “If you don’t behave like a good peasant, the queen might not consider your company worthwhile any longer.”
Before she could blink, I flipped her onto her back and hovered above her. Her squeal of surprise swelled my cock.
“Could a peasant coax a sound such as that one from a queen?” I lowered my head and nipped her bottom lip before pulling back. “I think not,” I whispered and devoured her mouth thoroughly.
When I came up for air, she was heaving. “Even though I’m not well-versed in all things spooky, I can still think of a few things I’d like to do with you on All Hallows Eve. Maybe some hunting and masks would be ripe for the occasion.”
Her pupils dilated, the emerald only a sliver around the black, and she fervently nodded. “Please,” she whimpered.
I rolled back to the bed and cuddled her back into my side. “Your wish is my command, my love.”
Her breath hitched, and my heart stopped. Fuck. I didn’t mean to say that. Just then my phone rang on the nightstand, and I lunged for it, thankful someone decided to bail me out. “Aaron” was displayed on the screen.
“I need to take this, babe.” I swung to the side of the bed, sliding my thumb to answer the call. “Hey, man. Give me a sec.”
I put the phone on the nightstand while I slid into sweats. “All right. What’s up?” I asked as I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me.
“I’m in the camera system. One of the employees clicked the link yesterday, and I hacked into the feed today. I’m gonna send a link to an app for you to download, then login credentials. You should be able to see and hear everything, in addition to controlling the rotation features.”
“Thanks, Aaron, I owe you. Send me the costs, and I’ll send the money.”
“No sweat.”
The phone beeped, signaling the end of the call, and I laid my phone on the counter. Trepidation hung in my chest. I was going to have to talk to Raven about what this thing between us was. I was attached, and if she didn’t feel the same, it would be better to end it now. I was going to be hung up on her, regardless, but it would suck worse the longer this went on. Saying I was addicted to her was an understatement. Hell, I might not leave her alone even if she told me to.
The phone rang on the counter again, and “Dad” flashed on the screen. Fuck answering that. I wasn’t going to be subject to whatever bullshit Dad had to say right now. He rarely called me, but it was a Saturday night, and he was likely too far into the whiskey. He always liked to berate me when he was three sheets to the wind when I was a kid. Every now andthen over the years of being shunned, he would get drunk and call to tear into my ass.
I silenced the ringer and turned to the cabinet for a glass. The bedroom door creaked open and Raven stepped out, fully dressed.
“Hey, I’m going to head out. I’ve got to run to the grocery store on my way home, and I need to get some chores done before I go have lunch with Mom tomorrow.”
My stomach dropped as she came to give me a hug and kissed me on the cheek. She hadn’t mentioned meeting her mom. I assumed she would crash here tonight or we would go back to her place. Thoughts ran rampant through my mind. Had I spooked her with what I said? Was she running away because this was, in fact, just something casual to her?
I hurried around the counter and caught her arm as she was halfway to the door. “Raven, wait.”
She turned, looking at me with her gemstone eyes and that was it. That was the moment I decided I was going to do whatever it took to keep her. Even if she didn’t want a relationship, it was better than a life without her.
